Treasure Shop Owner: 'I Could Have Turned Pro'

While 72 year-old Alfred Alexander has enjoyed collecting and selling used and antique items at his Franklin Street business The Treasure Shop over the past 40 years, his true love has always been the sport of golf.

"If I would have kept up with it, I could have turned pro,"he told Patch.

Alexander began playing as a teen living in Camden, South Carolina about 30 mintues away from Columbia. He and his friends used to sneak onto a private golf course after the members left for the day and play until sunset.

When a "lady friend" told him that Stamford was a good place to earn a decent living, Alexander moved up north in 1960 and continued showing off his skills at the Brennan Municipal golf course in the Hubbard Heights section of the city during his free time.

"At that time, I was undefeated for two years—nobody could beat me," he said. "When someone finally beat me, I was happy. I wanted some competition."

Alexander was defeated by the club's champ at the time, who also turned out to be longtime friend of his. Despite the loss, another club member told Alexander that he was good enough to compete in the Sammy Davis Jr. Golf Tournament in Hartford, but alas, the opportunity never came.

After business at The Treasure Shop grew, Alexander turned his focus away from his golf dreams, but continued to play throughout the 80s and 90s with close friends Joe Murphy, the late owner of Murphy's Townhouse, which is across the street from The Treasure Shop, and a younger Dan Malloy who, of course, became the governor of Connecticut.

Alexander hasn't played much over the past fews years, though, after a surgery to remove a melanoma from his back began affecting his swing, but he said that he's planning to hit the course again soon.

When asked which pro golf player was his favorite, Alexander didn't hesitate.

"Tiger Woods is the best of all the time," Alexander said. "I've seen thousands play and Tiger Woods is the best I have ever seen. I remember watching him while he was still in college and wondering why he wasn't out there making his millions."